425 gal skimmer & calcium reactor suggestions

[brandyrb]

My husband and I bought a 300 gal aquarium with a 125 gal sump. We're in the process of finishing off our basement before we move on to getting our tank setup which is in the wall.

We will be upsizing from a 125 fish and sps tank. Any suggestions on the best skimmer and ca reactor to use? Should we invest in a Kalk reactor too?

We have a reef keeper II, but I haven't read up on how to use it yet. We have never used a ca or Kalk reactor before either, so hopefully it's somewhat easy to learn.

When my husband and I first started this hobby we went with cheaper equipment, and we've been learning over the last few years that we should've went with the nicer equipment first, so that's the plan with this project.

 

[Skimmy]

ATI bubble master 250 (rated for 500g) is going to be your biggest bang for the buck, more air injection than any other skimmer in it's price range, or any skimmer under $1,000.

 

[danno14]

consider both your inital purchase and monthly costs.... IE, some protein skimmers need a power hungry high pressure pump to perform. Others use very little power. The initial cost may be dwarfed by the monthly.

Lighting is another issue entirely. Don't believe outright what some of the ballast manufacturers tell you... look at power consumption on Sanjay's website. It may be possible that two bulbs from one manuf. can outperform (color & intensity) three bulbs from someone else.

Pumps are another area. Using a closed loop with a high flow/low pressure pump can give you the desired current, with a lower flow pressure pump for your sump return. Again, power savings on a single high pressure/flow pump that does it all.

Just a few off the top of my head
Above all else, enjoy and have fun.
Rgds,
D

 

[plack]

A kalk reactor can be added in line with the water top off unit and set to be stirred by the reef keeper 2 one minute every 2 hours. for a tank that large alot of people use a large trash can and put a can of pickeling lime from wall mart into to it fill it with ro water and toss in a maxi jet 1200 for stirring instead of buying a reactor as its just easier and less hastle. I own a reactor and If I had the room in a basement or garadge I would have gone that route !

And I agree for a new brand name protien skimmer:

"ATI bubble master 250 (rated for 500g) is going to be your biggest bang for the buck, more air injection than any other skimmer in it's price range, or any skimmer under $1,000." or maybe even ther next step up size ? depending on your planned fish load !!!


Paul

 

[brandyrb]

Thanks for your input.

I just bought a used Barr Aquatic CR2100 Dual Chamber Calcium Reactor.

I've also been looking at the following skimmers. What are your opinions or experiences with these?

Barr Aquatic Dual Beckett SK4220
(I know this one requires a bigger pump to run it)
OR
Deltec AP702
(Why is this one so darn expensive?)

 

[Skimmy]

imo, the ati bm250 is a better skimmer than the deltec ap702...

look at the math;

the ap702 draws about 1800lph of air via 2 eheim 1260's(105 watts)
the ati bm 250 will draw about 2000 lph via 2 sicci pumps (60 watts)

the deltec replacement eheim pumps are over $400
ati sicci pumps are $150 to replace

ati bm 250 Dimensions: 14.2" x 9.5" x 20.8" (L x W x H)
deltec ap702 dimentions 19 x 19 x 24 (L x W x H)

ati bm 250 $769
deltec ap702 $1,763

different skimmer i know, but we have 2 euroreef skimmers in the store i work in that have the 2 eheim 1262 nw pumps on them, the ati bm 250 makes more skimmate than both of them put together...go figure..

so recently i mesh modded one pump each on the er 's, and i think i'll be doing the other this week based on the results im getting.

i guess you could do that too on a ap702, but the skimmer bodies are dialed in at their specific size for the air, not much room to increase, and it's $1763!!!!!! i dont know if i'd want to mod a skimmer that costs that.

as far as the beckett skimmer???
not even a contender in my book

 

[Skimmy]

but if you can get that used deltec ap702 for a good deal, it might be worth it, it def is still a great skimmer...and it is in your city already

 

[brandyrb]

Can both skimmers be ran outside of the sump? Depending on which sump we use, we might not have enough room for an in sump skimmer.

Do you know if we could get a way with a 70 gal sump for a 300? I have another post asking this question. We planned on using an old acrylic aquarium that is 125 gals, but it is long and narrow (18" wide and 6' long). We are going to buy a custom made 70 gal sump that is 30" wide. I just don't know if it will be enough for the 300.

 

[Skimmy]

i think either of those would make pretty good sumps...
the bm250 cant be run out of the sump, but it has a smaller foot print than the deltec, but the deltec can be run externally...
you would have to run the deltec external if you picked the long skinny sump, but the bm250 will fit into both

 

[brandyrb]

Thanks,

We decided to get the deltec. I just wanted to confirm that we made the best choice between the barr aquatic vs deltec. I've had a hard time grasping why the deltec is so expensive.

 

[Skimmy]

between those 2, yes, you definately made the right choice...
"skimmerwhisperer seal of approval" lol

and really your getting very similar performance out of the deltec to the ati,
your just paying a little more for it. and it is a recirculating external which fits your small sump plans.
if you've never owned a high end skimmer you will definately be blown away.

there...feel better about that hole in your bank account?

 

[brandyrb]

funny...

We currently have either a ASM G2 or G3 (I don't know which) on our 125 and a turbo floater 1000 on our 64.

 

[brandyrb]

I just now noticed the last two paragraphs in your reply.

As far as feeling better about the hole in the bank account, not really, I still need more equipment and I'll be tapped on cash after the skimmer purchase. Credit card here I come, lol.

I still need to get a kalk reactor, PFO halide reflectors, T5s, more live rock, sand, salt and possibly a bigger reeflow pump.

We picked up a couple of barracudas and we're debating using one for a closed loop and one for return. The orignal plan was to get a hammerhead for the closed loop, but we couldn't beat the deal we got on the barracudas, also from John.

As I stated before, we started with cheap equipment and have been paying for it ever since, so I'm really looking forward to a bigger, nicer setup and healthier live stock.

We started out with a long 55 gal that just ran a prism hang on skimmer, a bunch of rios, a cheap hang on filter, disposable lights (I forget what they're called) and no sump.

We've come quite a way since then, but still not where we need/want to be.

 

[TurboSnail8898]

Try to keep the sump as large as possible, it will not only add water volume which will provide additional stability, but will allow for a larger DSB and more macro algaes. Look into Lumenarc reflectors for your halides, wider tanks seem to really benefit from the additional coverage that they provide. If your tight on cash look into returning your Deltec and buying a H&S in-sump skimmer (the 250-2x1260 would save you almost $400 over the Deltec, which would pay for three Lumenarc III reflectors). If you are concerned with flow in the tank, look into a Tunze wavebox, the surge of water that they provide mimics a tidal situation and can really help with SPS growth.

 

[Skimmy]

so did ya get the deltec? i saw he still posted after you were interested.

 

[brandyrb]

No, I told John I couldn't buy it because we had an unexpected event that required the funds we were going to use for the skimmer and sump.

I sent him a PM and he reposted it after that.

Brandy